Laverne Cox on Caitlyn Jenner and Why We Need Diverse Transgender Role Models

Laverne Cox took to her personal Tumblr late last night and wrote a moving response to Vanity Fair's Caitlyn Jenner cover. "It feels like a new day, indeed, when a trans person can present her authentic self to the world for the first time and be celebrated for it so universally," Cox writes. "Yes, Caitlyn looks amazing and is beautiful, but what I think is most beautiful about her is her heart and soul, the ways she has allowed the world into her vulnerabilities," she said. "The love and devotion she has for her family and that they have for her. Her courage to move past denial into her truth so publicly. These things are beyond beautiful to me." One of the most important things Cox reminds us about in her blog post is that the public reaction to Jenner's cover—and Cox's Time cover last year—is partially based on a cisnormative standards of beauty.A year ago when my Time magazine cover came out I saw posts from many trans folks saying that I am "drop-dead gorgeous" and that that doesn't represent most trans people. (It was news to be that I am drop-dead gorgeous, but I'll certainly take it.) But

Laverne Cox took to her personal Tumblr late last night and wrote a moving response to Vanity Fair's Caitlyn Jenner cover. "It feels like a new day, indeed, when a trans person can present her authentic self to the world for the first time and be celebrated for it so universally," Cox writes.

"Yes, Caitlyn looks amazing and is beautiful, but what I think is most beautiful about her is her heart and soul, the ways she has allowed the world into her vulnerabilities," she said. "The love and devotion she has for her family and that they have for her. Her courage to move past denial into her truth so publicly. These things are beyond beautiful to me."

One of the most important things Cox reminds us about in her blog post is that the public reaction to Jenner's cover—and Cox's Time cover last year—is partially based on a cisnormative standards of beauty.

A year ago when my > Time magazine cover came out I saw posts from many trans folks saying that I am "drop-dead gorgeous" and that that doesn't represent most trans people. (It was news to be that I am drop-dead gorgeous, but I'll certainly take it.) But what I think they meant is that in certain lighting, at certain angles I am able to embody certain cisnormative beauty standards.

Now, there are many trans folks because of genetics and/or lack of material access who will never be able to embody these standards. > More importantly many trans folks don't want to embody them and we shouldn't have to to be seen as ourselves and respected as ourselves. It is important to note that these standards are also informed by race, class, and ability among other intersections. I have always been aware that I can never represent all trans people. No one or two or three trans people can. This is why we need diverse media representations of trans folks to multiply trans narratives in the media and depict our beautiful diversities.